Image acquiring system, terminal, image acquiring method, and image acquiring program

ABSTRACT

An image acquiring system (100) includes an image acquiring apparatus (101) and a terminal (111). The image acquiring apparatus (101) acquires an image recorded by the terminal (111) and position information indicating a position at which the image is recorded, determines the state of a road included in the image based on the image, and associates and stores the state of the road and the position information. If the terminal (111) transmits to the image acquiring apparatus (101), a request for information concerning the state of a given road, the image acquiring apparatus (101) transmits the determined state of the road and the position information to the terminal (111).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an image acquiring system, a terminal,an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program that acquire arecorded image including a road. However, application of the presentinvention is not limited to the image acquiring system, the terminal,the image acquiring method, and the image acquiring program.

BACKGROUND ART

A technology has been suggested in which identification information(such as vehicle type) and traveling history data (such as position andtime) of a vehicle traveling on a road are transmitted to a server, andbased on the identification information and the traveling history data,the server creates a database that stores for each road, the size ofvehicle (such as vehicle type) that can travel on the road (for example,refer to Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-92921

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

In the conventional technology, however, actual road conditions such ascracks and ice on a road, the operation of a traffic light, etc. cannotbe determined, and thus the road conditions cannot be reflected in thedatabase. Consequently, there is a problem that the server cannotdeliver road conditions after a disaster occurs.

Means for Solving Problem

To solve the problem described above and achieve an object, the imageacquiring system according to claim 1 includes: an acquiring unit thatacquires an image and position information indicating a position atwhich the image is recorded; a determining unit that determines a stateof a road included in the image based on the image; a storing unit thatassociates and stores the state of the road and the positioninformation; and a transmitting unit that transmits the state of theroad and the position information.

The terminal according to claim 7 includes: a camera that records animage; a transmitting unit that transmits the image, positioninformation indicating a position at which the image is recorded, and arequest for information concerning a state of a given road; a receivingunit that receives the information concerning the state of the givenroad; and a display unit that displays the received informationconcerning the state of the given road.

The image acquiring method according to claim 8 includes: acquiring animage and position information indicating a position at which the imageis recorded; determining a state of a road included in the image basedon the image; associating and storing the state of the road and theposition information; and transmitting the state of the road and theposition information.

The image acquiring method according to claim 9 includes: recording animage; transmitting the image, position information indicating aposition at which the image is recorded, and a request for informationconcerning a state of a given road; receiving the information concerningthe state of the given road; and displaying the received informationconcerning the state of the given road.

The image acquiring program according to claim 10 causes a computer toexecute the image acquiring method according to claim 8 or 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a functional configuration ofan image acquiring system according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of processes performed by the imageacquiring system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of hardware configuration of anavigation device;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a database stored through imageanalysis according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of information delivery after theimage analysis;

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining delivery of road information;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process concerning a new road according to asecond embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a recording position and a recordedposition;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of a database changed through imageprocessing according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 10A is a diagram for explaining how to analyze whether a road withno traveling history is passable; and

FIG. 10B is a diagram for explaining how to identify a road with notraveling history.

BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments

Preferred embodiments of an image acquiring system, a terminal, an imageacquiring method, and an image acquiring program according to thepresent invention will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a functional configuration ofan image acquiring system according to an embodiment. An image acquiringsystem 100 according to the embodiment includes an image acquiringapparatus 101 and a terminal 111.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 includes a communication unit 102, anacquiring unit 103, a storage unit 104, and an analyzing unit 105.According to the embodiment, a single server has functions of theseunits. However, as described later, the functions depicted in FIG. 1 maybe distributed to multiple servers, or a single client (terminal 111)may have the functions of the image acquiring apparatus 101, withoutusing any server.

The communication unit 102 is connected to the terminal 111 via anetwork 121 such as the Internet, and exchanges data with the terminal111. The acquiring unit 103 receives from the terminal 111, an imageincluding a road and recording information including the recordingposition at which the image is recorded, and associates and stores theimage and the recording information into the storage unit 104.

The analyzing unit 105 analyzes the image stored in the storage unit104, and determines road conditions. The road conditions determinedthrough the image analysis include, for example, the width of road ateach position, the operation state of traffic light, and thepresence/absence of crack, snow cover, and ice.

The analyzing unit 105 stores into the storage unit 104, a database inwhich the result of the analysis (road information) is associated withthe recording information (recording position). This database mayinclude the recorded image. The road information stored in the storageunit 104 is delivered to the terminal 111 in response to a request fromthe terminal 111. For example, road information of a road correspondingto a position and/or a path specified by the terminal 111 is deliveredto the terminal 111 via the communication unit 102.

The terminal 111 includes a camera 112, a communication unit 113, and adisplay unit 114. This terminal 111 is mounted on a moving object (forexample, a vehicle). As the vehicle travels, the terminal 111 records animage including a road by the camera 112, and associates and transmitsto the image acquiring apparatus 101 via the communication unit 113, theimage and the recording position (for example, longitude and latitudemeasured by GPS) at which the image is recorded.

If the camera 112 is configured to record the forward direction of thevehicle, the recorded image may include a forward position on a road,that is, a position away from the vehicle by a given distance in thetraveling direction. Corresponding to the position deviation between therecording position and the recorded image, through the image analysis,the analyzing unit 105 may correct and store the recording positiontransmitted from the terminal 111 to a position away from the vehicle bythe given distance in the traveling direction, thereby enhancing theaccuracy of the recording position of the recorded image.

The terminal 111 requests road information of a given road to the imageacquiring apparatus 101, and receives the road information transmittedfrom the image acquiring apparatus 101 via the communication unit 113.The received road information at the given position is displayed on thedisplay unit 114. The image acquiring apparatus 101 may also transmit tothe terminal 111, the recorded image for the given position from thedatabase stored in the storage unit 104, thereby enabling the image tobe checked at the terminal 111.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 may deliver the result of the analysis(road information) for each road to the terminal 111. The imageacquiring apparatus 101 may deliver the road information that is theresult of the analysis not only to the terminal 111 that requests toacquire the road information, but also to terminals 111 even when norequest is received from the terminals 111. If the result of theanalysis indicates a significant change from the previous roadconditions (for example, if the operation of traffic light issuspended), the road information may be automatically delivered to theterminals 111 that do not request the road information.

The acquiring unit 103 collects traveling history for each size ofvehicles on which terminals 111 are mounted, thereby enhancing theaccuracy of road information such as the width of road at each position,the operation state of traffic light, etc.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 acquires map data by the acquiringunit 103. If a road corresponding to the traveling history (recordingpositions of images) acquired from the terminal 111 is not included inthe map data, the image acquiring apparatus 101 may newly store the roadinto the storage unit 104 as a new passable road, and deliver the roadto the terminal 111.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of processes performed by the imageacquiring system according to the embodiment. Processes of the imageacquiring apparatus 101 and the terminal 111 are depicted.

As the vehicle travels, the terminal 111 performs position measurementby GPS (step S201), and records an image including a road at a givenposition by the camera 112 (step S202). The recording position may bespecified at regular time intervals, or by user operation.

The terminal 111 appends recording information including the positionobtained by the position measurement to the recorded image, andtransmits the recorded image to the image acquiring apparatus 101 viathe communication unit 113 (step S203).

The image acquiring apparatus 101 receives the recorded image by theacquiring unit 103 via the communication unit 102 (step S211). Theacquiring unit 103 stores the recorded image and the recordinginformation thereof into the storage unit 104.

The analyzing unit 105 analyzes the recorded image stored in the storageunit 104 (step S212). The analyzing unit 105 analyzes through imageprocessing, road conditions indicated by the recorded image, that is,road information such as the width of the road at each position, theoperation state of traffic light, and the presence/absence of crack,snow cover, and ice.

The analyzing unit 105 stores the result of the analysis into thestorage unit 104 as a database (step S213). This database associates therecording information and the road information that is the result of theanalysis. For example, the width of road at each recording position, theoperation state of traffic light, and the presence/absence of crack,snow cover, and ice are determined and stored. The database may storethe recorded image for the recording position.

Thus, the road information that is the result of the analysis of eachrecorded image transmitted from the terminal 111 can be stored in thestorage unit 104 as the database. Thereafter, the result of the analysis(road information) for a given position corresponding to a request fromthe terminal 111 can be delivered to the terminal 111.

According to the embodiment described above, the image acquiringapparatus can determine road conditions at each position by performingimage analysis on the recorded image including the road on which thevehicle actually travels. The result of the determination may bedelivered to the terminal, thereby enabling the terminal to obtain theroad information obtained through the image analysis, such as the widthof the road at each position, the operation state of traffic light, andthe presence/absence of crack, snow cover, and ice. Thus, it can beeasily determined whether a road is passable.

It also becomes possible to determine the vehicle type that can travelon a given road, and/or to take measures to travel on the road (in caseof snow cover, the vehicle can be equipped with tires and chains),before the vehicle actually travels on the road. Thus, road conditionscan be accurately determined based on the actually-recorded images.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention is described next. In thefirst embodiment, a navigation device 300 is mounted on a vehicle of auser and connected to a server. An example in which the server functionsas the image acquiring apparatus 101 is described.

(Hardware Configuration of Navigation Device 300)

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of hardware configuration of thenavigation device. As depicted in FIG. 3, the navigation device 300includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, a magnetic disk drive 304, amagnetic disk 305, an optical disk drive 306, an optical disk 307, anaudio interface (I/F) 308, a microphone 309, a speaker 310, an inputdevice 311, a video I/F 312, a display 313, a communication I/F 314, aGPS unit 315, various sensors 316, and a camera 317 (corresponding tothe camera 112 depicted in FIG. 1). These units 301 to 317 are connectedby a bus 320.

The CPU 301 controls the entire navigation device 300. The ROM 302stores therein a boot program and an image acquiring program. The RAM303 is used as a work area of the CPU 301. That is, the CPU 301 controlsthe entire navigation device 300 by executing various programs stored inthe ROM 302, while using the RAM 303 as a work area.

The magnetic disk drive 304 controls the reading and writing of datawith respect to the magnetic disk 305 under the control of the CPU 301.The magnetic disk 305 stores therein the data that is written under thecontrol of the magnetic disk drive 304. For example, a hard disk (HD)and a flexible disk (FD) may be used as the magnetic disk 305.

The optical disk drive 306 controls the reading and writing of data withrespect to the optical disk 307 under the control of the CPU 301. Theoptical disk 307 is an attachable/detachable recording medium from whichdata is read under the control of the optical disk drive 306. Arewritable recording medium may be used as the optical disk 307. Notonly the optical disk 307, but also an MO and a memory card may be usedas the attachable/detachable recording medium.

The magnetic disk 305 and the optical disk 307 store therein informationsuch as map data, vehicle information, road information, and travelinghistory. The map data is used in a route search by the car navigationsystem, and is vector data that includes background data representingfeatures such as buildings, rivers, land surface, energy supplyfacilities, etc., and road shape data representing the shape of roads bylinks and nodes.

The audio I/F 308 is connected to the microphone 309 for audio input andthe speaker 310 for audio output. Sound received by the microphone 309is subjected to A/D conversion in the audio I/F 308. One or moremicrophones 309 may be placed on a dashboard of the vehicle, forexample. The speaker 310 outputs sound that is a given audio signalsubjected to D/A conversion in the audio I/F 308.

The input device 311 is a remote controller, a keyboard, or a touchpanel that includes keys for inputting characters, numeric values, andvarious instructions. The input device 311 may be any one of the remotecontroller, the keyboard, and the touch panel, or any combinationthereof.

The video I/F 312 is connected to the display 313. The video I/F 312includes a graphic controller that controls the entire display 313, abuffer memory such as a video RAM (VRAM) that temporarily stores imagedata that can be displayed immediately, and a control IC that controlsthe display 313 based on the image data output from the graphiccontroller.

Icons, a cursor, menus, windows, and various data such as characters andimages are displayed on the display 313. A TFT liquid crystal display oran organic EL display may be used as the display 313.

The camera 317 records an image including a road outside the vehicle.The image may be a still image or video. The image of the outside of thevehicle recorded by the camera 317 is subjected to image analysis by theCPU 301, or output to a recording medium such as the magnetic disk 305and the optical disk 307 via the video I/F 312.

The communication I/F 314 is connected to a network by radio, andfunctions as an interface between the navigation device 300 and the CPU301. The network is a communication network such as an in-vehiclenetwork (controller area network (CAN), local interconnect network(LIN), etc.), public switched telephone network and cellular phonenetwork, dedicated short range communication (DSRC), LAN, and WAN. Thecommunication I/F 314 is a connection module for PSTN, an electronictoll collection system (ETC) unit, an FM tuner, or a Vehicle Informationand Communication System (VICS) (registered trademark) beacon receiver.

The GPS unit 315 receives radio waves from GPS satellites, and outputsinformation indicating the current position of the vehicle. Along withvalues output from the various sensors 316 described later, theinformation output from the GPS unit 315 is used to calculate thecurrent position of the vehicle by the CPU 301. The informationindicating the current position indicates one point in the map data suchas longitude, latitude, and height.

Various sensors 316 include a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, anangular rate sensor, and a gradient sensor, etc., and output informationfor determining the position and/or the behavior of the vehicle. Outputsfrom the various sensors 316 are used to calculate the current positionof the vehicle by the CPU 301, and to calculate a change in the speedand/or the direction.

(Configuration Example of Server)

The server used as the image acquiring apparatus has the sameconfiguration depicted in FIG. 3. The server does not need to includethe GPS unit 315, the various sensors 316, and the camera 317 depictedin FIG. 3.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 depicted in FIG. 1 achieves functionssuch as image acquisition, image analysis, and delivery of the result ofthe analysis by the CPU 301 executing a given program, using programsand data stored in the ROM 302, the RAM 303, the magnetic disk 305,and/or the optical disk 307 depicted in FIG. 3. The communication I/F314 depicted in FIG. 3 achieves functions of the communication unit 102depicted in FIG. 1.

The navigation device 300 may have the functions of the image acquiringapparatus 101 depicted in FIG. 1. In this case, the server becomesunnecessary since the navigation device 300 mounted on the vehicle ofthe user functions as the image acquiring apparatus 101.

(Details of Image Analysis)

Details of image analysis performed by the server functioning as theimage acquiring apparatus 101 are described next. Through the imageanalysis, the image acquiring apparatus 101 generates the followinganalysis items as road information.

1. Width and Road Area

The analyzing unit 105 of the image acquiring apparatus 101 performsimage processing, identifies an area in the recorded image andresembling a road, and calculates the width of the identified road. Theroad area is identified based on the color of the surface of the road,lanes (lines) on the road, etc.

The analyzing unit 105 calculates the minimum value, the maximum value,and the average value of the width of the road included in the image,based on lanes (center line and side line) on the road, the number ofthe lanes, the size of other objects included in the recorded image (forexample, the size of vehicle for each vehicle type). The width may becalculated more accurately by also using the position of the recordedimage to which the camera 112 is oriented, the direction, the fieldangle, and/or the position of the road in the recorded image.

2. Road Surface Conditions

The analyzing unit 105 determines the presence/absence of a crack, andthe length and the width of the crack by performing image processing forextracting edges of the road area identified in the recorded image. Theanalyzing unit 105 also determines a state of snow and/or rain on theroad resulting from weather, by acquiring the color of the road areaidentified in the recorded image. For example, the analyzing unit 105determines snow if the color of the road area is white, and rain ifthere is a lot of reflection.

For the determination of the road surface conditions, images of mud,rut, ice, and snow cover may be acquired and the feature amounts ofimages of each condition may be learned in advance. In this case, theroad surface condition indicated by the recorded image can be determinedbased on the learning result, thereby enabling more accuratedetermination of the road surface conditions.

3. Determination of Operation of Traffic Light

Whether there is a traffic light within the camera angle (within therecorded image) is checked based on position information indicatingwhere a traffic light is located, and the position and the travelingdirection of the vehicle when the image is recorded. If there is atraffic light within the camera angle, a luminous object having thecolor of a normally-operating traffic light (red, yellow, or green) isextracted. If a luminous object is extracted, the traffic light isdetermined to be operating. Alternatively, the traffic light may bedetermined to be normally operating if the color of the luminous objectchanges with time (differs in other recorded images).

On the other hand, if there is a traffic light within the camera anglebut no luminous object having the color of a normally-operating trafficlight (red, yellow, or green) is extracted, the traffic light isdetermined to not being operating (suspended).

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a database stored through the imageanalysis according to the first embodiment. A database 400 stored in thestorage unit 104 is depicted. The database 400 includes recordinginformation 401 and road information 402. In FIG. 4, data based on threerecorded images are arranged in the vertical direction. Although notdepicted in FIG. 4, the recorded images or link information indicatingthe location of the recorded images may be also stored.

The recording information 401 is based on information transmitted fromthe terminal 111, and includes: recording coordinates 411 indicating thelongitude and the latitude of the recording position; a travelingdirection 412 of the vehicle (the direction in which the recorded imageis oriented); a road number 413 indicating the identification number(ID) of a road (a link, a road between a pair of intersections, etc.)that is at the recording position and obtained from the map data; agranular road position 414 on the road indicated by the road number (forexample, the recording position when the interval between a pair ofintersections is taken as 0 to 1); and a road direction 415(inbound/outbound) in which the vehicle is traveling (the directionrecorded in the recorded image).

Among the recording information 401, it is sufficient for the terminal111 to transmit at least the recording coordinates 411 to the imageacquiring apparatus 101; the traveling direction 412 to the roaddirection 415 may be generated by the image acquiring apparatus 101 byusing the map data.

The road information 402 includes analysis items obtained through theimage analysis of the recorded image indicated by the recordinginformation 401. The analysis items depicted in FIG. 4 include: a width421 of a road, the operation state 422 of traffic light, thepresence/absence of crack 423, the presence/absence of snow cover 424,the presence/absence of ice 425, the presence/absence of mud 426, thepresence/absence of flood 427, and the presence/absence of rut 428.

Among the analysis items of the road information 402, the width 421 isset to 0 or a predetermined value for a corresponding position based onthe map data, and overwritten by the result of the image analysis of therecorded image. The operation state 422 of traffic light is initiallyset to “-” (yet checked), and based on the result of the analysis of therecorded image, set to “TRUE” if the traffic light is operating, while“FALSE” if the traffic light is suspended. Other analysis items areinitially set to “FALSE”, and “TRUE” is set to the correspondinganalysis item if traffic disturbance (such as crack, snow cover, etc.)is detected through the analysis of the recorded image.

In FIG. 4, the image analysis is performed for each recorded image andanalysis items 421 to 428 are determined, thereby generating the roadinformation 402. However, if images recorded at close positions areacquired (for example, recorded images of the same traffic light), theroad information 402 (the analysis items 421 to 428) may be collectivelygenerated using the result of the analysis on each of the recordedimages. Thus, more accurate image analysis can be performed withoutbeing affected by the quality (resolution, brightness, etc.) of therecorded image.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of information delivery after theimage analysis. An example in which the image acquiring apparatus 101delivers road information 402 near the current position of the carnavigation device functioning as the terminal 111 is depicted.

The terminal 111 such as the car navigation device continually measuresthe current position by GPS (step S501), and requests the imageacquiring apparatus 101 to transmit the road information 402 of a givenposition (for example, the current position of the terminal 111) (stepS502).

The terminal 111 receives the road information 402 from the imageacquiring apparatus 101 (step S503), and displays the road information402 (step S504).

The image acquiring apparatus 101 receives a transmission request forthe road information 402 from the terminal 111 (step S511), searches thedatabase 400 for the position included in the transmission request,acquires the road information 402 for the position (step S512), anddelivers the acquired road information 402 to the terminal 111 (stepS513).

The image acquiring apparatus 101 may deliver all of the analysis items421 to 428 of the road information 402 for the position (recordingposition) in the database 400 depicted in FIG. 4, or may extract anddeliver only an analysis item(s) indicating traffic disturbance.

The terminal 111 may transmit not only the current position, but alsoanother position(s) different from the current position (for example, agiven position(s) on a scheduled route), thereby acquiring roadinformation 402 of the specified position(s).

Alternatively, the terminal 111 may transmit the scheduled route,thereby enabling the image acquiring apparatus 101 to deliver roadinformation 402 for the scheduled route. In this case, the imageacquiring apparatus 101 extracts from the road information 402 forcorresponding positions, the analysis item(s) indicating trafficdisturbance on the scheduled route, and delivers the analysis item(s) tothe terminal 111.

The terminal 111 may specify the position not only by the longitude andthe latitude, but also by a landmark, a facility, etc. In this case, theimage acquiring apparatus 101 delivers road information 402 around thelandmark or the facility to the terminal 111.

The terminal 111 that receives the delivery of road information 402 maybe a home personal computer, and may request and acquire roadinformation 402 for any arbitral position.

As described above, the image acquiring apparatus 101 analyzes therecorded image transmitted from the terminal 111 and including a road onwhich the vehicle actually travels, determines the analysis itemsconcerning traffic through the image analysis, and may deliver theanalysis items. Thus, the terminal 111 can acquire road information 402even for a road on which the vehicle does not yet travel (a road onwhich the vehicle is planning to travel), based on the recorded image ofanother terminal 111 mounted on another vehicle.

The database 400 including the road information 402 is updated for eachinput of a new recorded image, and thus can always provide the latestroad information 402.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining delivery of road information. Anexample is depicted in which the terminal 111 transmits a scheduledroute to the image acquiring apparatus 101, and displays roadinformation 402 transmitted from the image acquiring apparatus 101.

Traffic disturbance is assumed to be detected at each of positions 602a, 602 b, and 602 c on a scheduled route 601, through the image analysison the recorded image performed by the image acquiring apparatus 101. Inthis case, the image acquiring apparatus 101 transmits to the terminal111, the positions 602 a, 602 b, and 602 c and traffic disturbanceevents (analysis items) occurring at the positions 602 a, 602 b, and 602c as the road information 402.

On the display of the terminal 111, the minimum width point (4.5 m) onthe scheduled route 601 is indicated by a character string 603 a at theposition 602 a indicated by the road information 402. A character string603 b indicates a crack occurs at the position 602 b. A character string603 c indicates suspension of the operation of the traffic light locatedat the position 602 c.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 may transmit to the terminal 111, therecorded image for each position at which a traffic disturbance eventoccurs; in FIG. 6, a recorded image 604 a for the position 602 a and arecorded image 604 b for the position 602 b may be displayed. The widthreduced due to debris on the roadside is depicted in the recorded image604 a. The state of a crack occurring on the road is depicted in therecorded image 604 b. These recorded images enable a user of theterminal 111 to know more specifically how the traffic disturbance eventis occurring.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment according to the present invention is describednext. In the second embodiment, upon detection of a road that thevehicle actually travels but is not included in the map data, the roadis registered into the database as a new road. A configuration similarto the first embodiment (FIG. 1) may be used in the second embodiment.

The car navigation device functioning as the terminal 111 determines atraveling state at regular time intervals by using sensor information.In the second embodiment, the terminal 111 determines that the travelingstate indicates that the vehicle is traveling on an existing road, if achange in the traveling direction is small and the speed is sufficientlyhigh.

Each time an image is recorded according to the first embodiment as thevehicle travels, the terminal 111 determines whether the vehicle is in aroad traveling state. The terminal 111 consults the map data (road mapinformation) and determines whether there is a road of a similar shapenear the current position.

If the result of the determination indicates that the recording positionis not registered in the map data (the position is different from thoseof existing roads), the measured recording position and the recordingdate (corresponding to the recording information 401) of the recordedimage are stored in the terminal 111 as a new road. In this case, theterminal 111 may determine a road to be a new road if a sequence ofrecorded images for different recording positions is not registered inthe map data. The terminal 111 appends an identifier indicating a newroad to the recorded images, and transmits the recorded images to theimage acquiring apparatus 101.

Based on the recording position and the recording date of the recordedimage received from the terminal 111, the image acquiring apparatus 101such as the server sorts the recorded images according to the recordingdate, connects the recording positions for the recorded images by lines,and stores the lines into the storage unit 104 as a new road. This newroad may be delivered to the terminal 111.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process concerning a new road according tothe second embodiment. An example is depicted in which images arerecorded as the vehicle travels until an end command is issued by useroperation. The terminal 111 measures the current position as the vehicletravels (step S701), and determines for each recording position at whicha road image is recorded as the vehicle travels, whether the vehicle isin the road traveling state (step S702).

If the vehicle is in the road traveling state (step S702: YES), theterminal 111 determines whether the recording position is on an existingroad included in the map data (step S703). If not (step S703: NO), theprocess transits to step S704, and the recording position (measuredcoordinates) and the recording date of the recorded image are stored inthe terminal 111.

On the other hand, if the vehicle is not in the road traveling state(step S702: NO), or the recording position is on an existing road (stepS703: YES), the process transits to step S707.

At step S704, the recording position (measured coordinates) and therecording date of the recorded image, which is recorded in the roadtraveling state (step S702) and not on the existing road (step S703),are stored in the terminal 111 (step S704). The terminal 111 determineswhether a given transmission timing has come (step S705). Thetransmission timing comes at regular time intervals, or each time therecording position and the recording date are stored for a given numberof recorded images at step S704. Until the transmission timing comes(step S705: NO), the process transits to step S707, and when thetransmission timing comes (step S705: YES), the recorded images(recording information) are transmitted to the image acquiring apparatus101 (step S706).

Until the end command for recoding images is received (step S707: NO),the process transits to step S701, and the processes described above arecontinually executed. If the end command is received (step S707: YES),the terminal 111 ends the sequence of processes described above.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 receives the recorded imagestransmitted from the terminal 111 (step S711), and if an identifierindicating a new road is appended to the recorded images, the analyzingunit 105 calculates the shape of the new road based on the recordedimages (step S712).

In the calculation of the shape of the new road, based on the recordingposition and the recording date of the received recorded images, therecorded images are sorted according to the recording date. Among theserecorded images, recording positions that are adjacent in the map dataand at which images having close recording times are recorded areconnected by a line. A curve that smoothly connects the recordingpositions may be used.

The analyzing unit 105 of the image acquiring apparatus 101 stores as anew road, the lines (road shape) connecting the recording positions forthe recorded images into the storage unit 104 (step S713). The new roadmay be added to the existing map data, thereby updating the map data.

In the processes described above, the terminal 111 consults the map dataand determines whether the recording position for the recorded image ison an existing road; however, this determination may be made by theimage acquiring apparatus 101 such as the server. In this case, theterminal 111 does not need to consult the map data and to determinewhether the recording position for the recorded image is on the existingroad.

According to the processes described above, a new road that is notincluded in the map data can be generated based on the recordingpositions for the recorded images. Since the recorded images include aroad on which the vehicle actually travels, a newly-opened (passable)road can be more quickly delivered to the terminal 111. Further, the mapdata can be easily and quickly updated.

For example, if recorded images are acquired for a road having theposition and the shape different from any road existed before a disasteroccurs, a newly-opened road that has recovered from the disaster can bedelivered as a new road, and the map data can be updated. Thus, thenumber of candidate routes when a disaster occurs can be increased, andtraffic after the recovery can be supported.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment according to the present invention is described next.The third embodiment is a variation of the second embodiment, andfocuses on collecting recording information for positions on a road withno traveling history, a road with a problem in the road surfaceconditions, etc.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 such as the server requests theterminal 111 such as the car navigation device to transmit recordinginformation for a road necessary to create and update the map data, suchas a road with no traveling history, a road with a problem in the roadsurface conditions, etc. Thus, a request for the recording informationincludes a given area, position, direction, road type, etc.

The terminal 111 to which the recording information is requestedreceives the area, position, direction, and road type included in therequest for the recording information, and if the current positionmatches the request, records an image at the current position andtransmits the recorded image (and the recording position, etc.) to theimage acquiring apparatus 101.

Alternatively, the terminal 111 to which the recording information isrequested may receive the area, position, direction, and road typeincluded in the request for the recording information, move to aposition that matches the request (for example, circulate within therequested area), and transmit the recorded image (and the recordingposition, etc.) to the image acquiring apparatus 101, thereby activelyresponding to the request.

Thus, the image acquiring apparatus 101 can collect from the terminals111, recording information that matches the request, generate roadinformation 402 in which the latest state of a road with no travelinghistory and/or a road with a problem in the road surface conditions isreflected, and update the database 400. Further, map data for the roadwith no traveling history can be easily created and updated by using thedatabase 400.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is described next. In thefourth embodiment, a recorded position and a road are identified fromthe recorded image.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a recording position and a recordedposition. As depicted in FIG. 8, a vehicle 801 is located at a recordingposition P1 on a road 800 a, and the recording area W of the camera 112is oriented to the traveling direction along the road 800 a. In thiscase, a position (event coordinates P2) at which traffic disturbance isdetermined to occur through the analysis of the recorded image may belocated on a road 800 b different from the road 800 a on which therecording position is located. The road 800 a crosses with other roads800 b and 800 c at the intersection S.

In this case, the analyzing unit 105 changes information such as therecording position for the recorded image, based on information includedin the recorded image such as the position, the direction, the fieldangle, and/or the position of the road in the recorded image.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of a database changed through imageprocessing according to the fourth embodiment. Among the recordinginformation 401 (see FIG. 4) in the database 400 set by the processesdescribed above, the recording coordinates 411 and the road number 413are changed corresponding to the event coordinates.

Since the recording coordinates 411 depicted in FIG. 4 is the recordingposition P1, through the image processing, this item (the recordingcoordinates 411) is changed to the event coordinates P2 (411 a)indicating a position ahead of the vehicle in the traveling direction bya given distance. The road number 413 is changed to an event-occurringroad number 413 a, and set to the new road 800 b corresponding to theevent coordinates P2 (411 a).

In the above explanation, the recording coordinates are changed to theevent coordinates; however, the recording information 401 including therecording coordinates 411 and the road number 413 before the change maybe left, and may be managed along with the recording information 401after the change depicted in FIG. 9. Thus, both the recordingcoordinates and the event coordinates can be left and used for a laterimage analysis and a verification of conditions used for the analysis.

FIG. 10A is a diagram for explaining how to analyze whether a road withno traveling history is passable. As described above, the imageacquiring apparatus 101 such as the server sequentially acquiresrecorded images from the terminal 111 such as the vehicle traveling onthe road, updates the database 400, and updates roads in the map data.

Among roads 1000 a to 1000 d crossing at the intersection S depicted inFIG. 10A, traveling history for the road 1000 d that is assumed to bepassable is assumed to become undetectable. For example, it isdetermined that the traveling history of the road 1000 d has becomeundetectable when the current position of a vehicle traveling on theroad 1000 d cannot be acquired.

In this case, if a recorded image of which recording position (eventcoordinates) is located on the road 1000 d is acquired, the imageacquiring apparatus 101 analyzes the recorded image and obtains eachanalysis item (the width, the operation state of traffic light, etc.) ofthe road information 402. Thus, if the width has become less than orequal to a threshold preventing traffic due to obstacles covering theentire surface of the road, the road 1000 d can be determined to be notpassable, and the map data can be updated. In this case, as describedabove, each analysis item of the road 1000 d can be obtained withoutactually traveling on the road 1000 d by obtaining the event coordinatesP2 from the recorded image, and the road 1000 d can be determined to benot passable.

FIG. 10B is a diagram for explaining how to identify a road with notraveling history. The identification of the road 1000 d depicted inFIG. 10A for which traveling history has become undetectable is notlimited to traveling on the road 1000 d. As depicted in FIG. 10B, assumethat the image acquiring apparatus 101 can acquire traveling history ofvehicles turning back, turning right, or turning left at theintersection, but no vehicle passes through (enters into) the road 1000d. In this case, the image acquiring apparatus 101 determines thattraffic disturbance may have occurred on the road 1000 d.

The image acquiring apparatus 101 requests the terminal 111 to collectinformation on the road 1000 d. Specifically, the image acquiringapparatus 101 requests the terminal 111 to acquire a recorded image forthe road 1000 d. Thus, based on the recorded image (and the recordingposition, etc.) transmitted from the terminal 111, each analysis item ofthe road information 402 for the road 1000 d can be obtained through theimage processing described above. It also becomes possible to determinewhether the road is passable, and if not, the map data can be updated.

As described above, according to the invention, the state of a road canbe accurately determined by performing the image analysis on therecorded image including the road and by generating the road informationconcerning traffic. The road information can be updated for each inputof a new recorded image, and the latest road information and the latestmap data can be always provided.

In the embodiments, a navigation device is used as the terminal;however, other terminals such as a smart phone may be used.

The image acquiring method described in the present embodiment may beimplemented by executing a prepared program on a computer such as apersonal computer and a workstation. The program is stored on acomputer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk, a flexible disk,a CD-ROM, an MO, and a DVD, read out from the computer-readable medium,and executed by the computer. The program may be distributed through anetwork such as the Internet.

EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS

-   -   100 image acquiring system    -   101 image acquiring apparatus    -   102 communication unit    -   103 acquiring unit    -   104 storage unit    -   105 analyzing unit    -   111 terminal    -   112 camera    -   113 communication unit    -   114 display unit    -   121 network    -   300 navigation device    -   400 database    -   401 recording information    -   402 road information

1. An image acquiring apparatus configured to communicate with one or aplurality of terminals, the image acquiring apparatus comprising aprocessor configured to: acquire from a terminal of the one or aplurality of terminals a first image and a first position at which thefirst image is recorded; obtain a second position as event coordinatesbased on the first position when the first image includes the secondposition at which traffic disturbance is determined to occur; andcorrelate the event coordinates with the first image.
 2. The imageacquiring apparatus according to claim 1, the processor furtherconfigured to determine whether the first image includes the secondposition or not.
 3. The image acquiring apparatus according to claim 1,the processor further configured to transmit to the one or a pluralityof terminals a request for the first position or a second imagecorresponding to the event coordinates.
 4. The image acquiring apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to acquirefrom the one or the plurality of terminal the second image.
 5. An imageacquiring apparatus configured to communicate with one or a plurality ofterminals, the image acquiring apparatus comprising a processorconfigured to: acquire from a terminal of the one or a plurality ofterminals a first image and a first position at which the first image isrecorded; obtain a second position as event coordinates based on thefirst position, the second position being included in the first image, atraffic disturbance being determined to occur at the second position;and correlate the event coordinates with the first image.